Supertroopers: The Plan
by Delora2047
Summary: My retelling of the events surrounding "Supertroopers" through various characters' eyes. Part 2: Jackhammer, Brainchild, Gravestone. Sequel to Supertroopers: Aspirations.
1. Jackhammer

Set about two months before the episode "Supertroopers". See my profile for the timeline I use.

This story is based on the song "The Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. It is set shortly after Supertroopers: Aspirations (to be found in the M section of this page).

A prequel to the episode "Supertroopers". How did Jackhammer get involved in the plan to steal Batch-22?

Thanks to Robyn for beta-reading.

_Disclaimer: 'The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers' is copyrighted by Hearst Entertainment, Inc._

_This is a work of fanfiction, and I make no profit of it._

* * *

_Risin' up, back on the street_

_Did my time, took my chances_

_Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet_

_Just a man and his will to survive_

Jackhammer went down when the stegosaur's tail, swung at full force, collided with his upper body, but he did not stay in the dust. He was up before his adversary could even blink, and a sonic blast took the Ezre warrior out of the saddle, leaving him unconscious or dead on the stony desert ground. The stegosaur charged again, lost in blind animal rage, and Jackhammer dodged it, raising a cloud of dust that would confuse the giant reptile. Then he shot it at point-blank range.

The remaining five Ezre warriors on their smaller reptile mounts that looked like triceratopses hollered unintelligible words, but he didn't know if in terror or defiance. He was paid to take them out, and after a year and half of the quiet on Nebraska and the other half a year it took him to establish a reputation as a mercenary for hard jobs, he took pleasure in the wild fight.

Tortuna was no man's land with plenty of local warlords willing to pay for the muscle to take out their rivals. It was an ideal playground for him. No one would call the Space Navy if he used his powers.

An Ezre warrior tried to spear him from behind, but he grabbed the spear and yanked hard. The warrior toppled off his mount and after rolling over the ground three times remained still.

Jackhammer missed someone to watch his back in fights. This one was easy, but a short while ago he had stood alone against a whole tribal coalition of warriors, and in such a dangerous setting he would prefer having someone beside him. Yet the Supertroopers had disbanded after they escaped from Wolf Den, and there were no signs of a reunion.

Another warrior hurtled his spear at Jackhammer, but he caught it easily with his left hand and threw it back at his opponent. The weapon impacted with a thud against his attacker's chest, and the warrior fell backward.

Back at Wolf Den, they had been trained to fight in teams. He had always been able to trust Stingray to keep his back free, and Darkstar and Gooseman would look out for their fellow combatants in a battle simulation. Even Killbane and Shimmerer could be trusted to only shoot enemies and not stab their team members in the back. But now things were different.

Galloping at breakneck and their weapons raised, the three remaining warriors attacked. Jackhammer made the ground explode below them with another sonic blast. Two triceratopses broke off the assault; he shot the third one between the eyes. At that distance, the hit was not lethal, but the animal howled in pain and threw off its rider. The remaining two warriors turned tail and fled.

He holstered his gun and dusted off his leather clothes. He watched the four fallen bodies for signs of movement, but none stirred.

Things were indeed different now. He had seen Stingray and Darkstar on Nebraska, but they wanted to lie low and were not interested in teaming up with him. Shimmerer and Killbane both had their own business and would only contact him if it suited them.

Gooseman was a whole different matter. Even after he had heard that Gooseman was a ranger now, even after Killbane had confirmed that Goose was hunting the other Supertroopers, Jackhammer had trouble believing that little Shane who would rather take five shots himself than allow any of his teammates to take only one would turn against his own kind.

But then, they all did what they had to in order to survive.

He looked one more time at the scene of the battle he had just won and the dead bodies littering the ground, then he mounted his robosteed and galloped back to Tortuna City.

Shimmerer had sent him a message that she was interested in talking to him; he knew she liked manipulating people, but with Killbane in town, he was not too concerned that she would try to play tricks with him. She'd always had clear preferences in that area.

_So many times, it happens too fast_

_You change your passion for glory_

_Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past_

_You must fight just to keep them alive_

The ride back to Tortuna City was a winding path through the mountains. He had no trouble backtracking the route he had taken out to the Ezre tribal lands, but he kept up his guard. The terrain was all too well suited to rocket launcher attacks. He also did not want to run into a tyrannosaur mother with her young. He was not sure whether the giant reptiles of Tortuna were related to Earth's long extinct dinosaurs, but they certainly looked like them and had a voracious appetite. Maybe some crazy Earth scientist had taken refuge on Tortuna and recreated his childhood toys in real size. He had heard rumors that Max Sawyer had hidden on Tortuna before he bit the dust for good.

Life on Nebraska had taught Jackhammer a different type of caution than his training on Earth had. Back at Wolf Den, he had always been on alert against unannounced inspections, middle-of-the-night calls to arms or treacherous battle simulations where the real training did not begin until you had given everything you had in what you thought was the last fight of the day. But the dangers of the real world were incalculable. You never knew what menace might spring up next. He had tried to lie low on Nebraska, make his living as a lumberjack and avoid the towns where he knew Galaxy Rangers might show up. Before the hyperdrive spread them thin across a wider galaxy, there had been just too many Galaxy Rangers on Earth's colonies, either patrolling or gathering scientific data. He had made contingency plans for every eventuality until he realized that that such a life was not worth living. He felt like a wolf dragging a donkey cart. So he ditched caution and reached for the rewards that risk could bring. When the Andoreans brought the hyperdrive to human settlements, he stole a ship and set out for his own adventure.

But a wolf without his pack was nothing. Supertroopers were strong, yet even the strongest soldier could be taken down by superior numbers or treachery.

Supertroopers had been trained to lead, but every leader needed people he could trust.

Earth government had established a firm rule, a system built out of the shambles that the environmental catastrophes and civil unrest of the 21st century had left behind. He hated those who hunted him, but that did not keep him from acknowledging things that worked. In the past nine months, he had seen many war-torn worlds that lacked any form of solid government. He was well qualified to help establish that form of government, and he could take a share of the power for himself and whoever wanted to come with him.

_It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight_

_Risin' up to the challenge of our rival_

_And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night_

_And he's watchin' us all in the eye of the tiger_

Night had fallen when he reached Tortuna City. He met Shimmerer in the Sundown Bar. He spotted her immediately at a table in a dark corner. She had always liked skin tight outfits, but her style had gotten even more revealing since she had left Wolf Den. Of course, there was nothing that would hinder movement. She was a Supertrooper, after all.

"What do you want?" he asked bluntly when he stepped up to the table.

Shimmerer took a moment to look him up and down. He was suddenly very conscious of the dust and of the many patches on his clothes.

"Brainchild and Killbane have a plan for a … class reunion," she said, as calm as if she were really just talking about an ordinary reunion of former school mates.

"Are you in?"

He had not expected that. He took a seat at the table with her and motioned for the waitress droid to bring him some lemonade.

"You mean you want those of us who are still free to meet – in one place?"

There was a risk in concentrating all Supertroopers in one spot, but it might be worth it. They all had talents and contacts that complemented each other.

"Not only those," she purred as she leaned forward. There was a conspiratorial glimmer in her eyes, and he automatically scanned the room for suspect listeners.

There was no one close, and the loud speakers were blaring 'I Kissed an Outlaw and I Liked It' at full blast, making their conversation relatively safe.

"You want to bring – outsiders?" he asked cautiously.

She laughed a short throaty laugh. It wasn't a pleasant sound.

"No, we want to bring those who are still _in_ the cold _out_."

She couldn't mean that. His muscles tensed at the mention of the cryocrypt.

"You want to go to Earth? That's suicide!"

"We have a plan," she said and smoothed her see-through red dress. "But you don't have to come if you're afraid."

Apparently unconcerned what his answer would be, she used one hand to play with her silver necklace.

"A solid plan?" he asked, still doubtful. If there was a real chance… The news coverage about the Supertrooper incident had been thin, but he had learned that those who did not escape were frozen. It was the ultimate humiliation for Supertroopers, who had been trained and bred to master any type of physical skill: to be suspended immobile, unaware, in a state between life and death.

Shimmerer looked him straight in the eyes, all signs of complacency gone.

"We've stayed alive this long."

He nodded. Anyone who had made it beyond the first three months when the Space Navy had hunted them like rabbits was among the best.

He could hide like a scared rabbit, or he could live like a Supertrooper.

"Who else is in?"

_Face to face, out in the heat_

_Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry_

_They stack the odds 'til we take to the street_

_For we kill with the skill to survive_

"Besides Killbane, Brainchild and me, there is Gravestone. I've contacted Amina, but she hasn't replied."

She waited.

He nodded solemnly.

"I'm in."

She smiled. "Good."

"When do you plan to attack?" They needed to be prepared. Taking on Earth security wasn't a walk in the park.

She put a finger to her lips. "Shh. There will be a meeting tomorrow night at the Isis Parlor. Ask for Larry's party. Wolfgang Adler is on the guest list. For now, I'd be more interested to hear if you know of anyone else … whom we could invite."

He immediately grew suspicious.

"How do I know you don't just want to settle an old score?"

She made a disapproving tsk sound and rearranged her hair. She wasn't taking him seriously.

"You..." he began in anger, but she immediately snapped to attention, and the cold look in her eyes told him she was ready to fight if need be. He leaned back in his chair, forcing himself to stay cool.

She kept staring at him for a full minute. None of them gave in. Finally, she said, "Now Darkstar and I may have had our differences, but compared to what we're facing now, I'm inclined to chalk them up to sibling rivalry. She and Stingray would be invaluable in this enterprise."

He considered her words. Given the odds they were facing, it seemed indeed unlikely Darkstar would have any interest to pursue her old feud with Shimmerer, and the latter had moved on to more exciting targets; it was also unlikely that Darkstar would defend any action by Walsh or the BWL as she had done in the past. Things had indeed changed.

Darkstar had asked him not to contact Stingray and her, but he was almost sure she would be interested in this endeavor. He knew for certain that Stingray would be.

"I know which planet they are on, but they didn't leave me contact details."

Shimmerer shook her head and flicked some imagined dust particles off her golden polished nails.

"That's so like Darkstar. Well, but I'm sure Stingray will allow you to find them."

"I will need to go there personally." Darkstar was cautious, and he respected her for it.

"I can leave in three days at the earliest."

Shimmerer nodded.

"Do you need any money?" she asked.

Anger rose in him again. He slammed his hands on the table She was belittling him.

"I have enough!"

She shrugged, seemingly unconcerned by his outburst.

"That's good. I make so much money that I can't even spend it all."

She hadn't changed. Being free had just magnified her faults. But he knew that in her own twisted way she cared about her people.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I have some preparations to make," he announced.

She nodded and sipped the last bit of her cherry drink.

When he was already halfway across the room, she called after him.

"We'll need to do some very fancy maneuvering in space, not to mention we might face the Navy; I hope you are keeping your practice up."

He squared his shoulders.

"I'm better than ever."

**********

_Risin' up, straight to the top_

_Have the guts, got the glory_

_Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop_

_Just a man and his will to survive_

They had refused!

Anger was still churning in him when he made his way from Tortuna's busy spaceport to the underground base they were using for their clandestine Supertrooper meetings.

He had expected that Darkstar would be hard to convince, but that she would refuse to even speak with him after he had outlined their plan to Stingray was outrageous!

He had found Stingray easy enough by following the trail of bruised flesh and angry people that his run-ins with anyone who dared insult him left. Stingray was a courageous fighter and a genius with explosives, but he didn't know how to control his temper, and that just wasn't a good trait for an energy manipulator – or anyone who could handle a blaster.

Jackhammer hoped the two love birds would be happy watching the grass grow where they had settled. May it grow over them!

Stingray had told Jackhammer he had just taken a job with one Mr. Laramie and would not jeopardize Darkstar's and his safety by leaving so soon again. Jackhammer could not see the logic in that argument, but trying to change or even understand Stingray's reasoning in anything where Darkstar was concerned was absolutely pointless.

Stingray and Darkstar could rot in the hole they had chosen while he and the other Supertroopers reached for glory! They didn't need that pair. The Supertroopers would fight and they would win!!!

_The eye of the tiger…_


	2. Brainchild

Virus 22, released by Slade on Beasty-Fenokee, occurs in the episode „Natural Balance". The (possible) connection to Batch-22 was spotted by Kalinara. For more of her GR recaps, visit her blog at kalinara blogspot com

Thanks to Robyn for beta-reading.

Set before the episode„Supertroopers", between the two parts of "Eye of the Tiger". Brainchild's point of view of the Supertroopers' planning.

Based on the song „One Night in Bangkok" by Murray Head and ABBA.

_Disclaimer: 'The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers' is copyrighted by Hearst Entertainment, Inc._

_This is a work of fanfiction, and I make no profit of it._

* * *

--

_One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble  
not much between despair and ecstasy  
one night in Bangkok, and the tough guys tumble  
can't be too careful with your company  
I can feel the devil walking next to me_

Customers were streaming in. The Isis Parlor had established a reputation as the place for entertainment that appealed not only to the senses but also to the brain. Of course, it was not cheap. He had hired showgirls and boys, waiters and waitresses of various species that pleased the eye and could hold a stimulating conversation in at least five languages. Moreover, he employed contortion artists and fire-eaters that would invite the audience to participate, speed dancers whose performance blurred before ordinary eyes, and the most renowned performers of impressionist, expressionist, and impromptu theater. He had bought the most advanced chess droids and had designed the architecture of the parlor with many dark corners for shady deals (for him to overhear). Indeed, the Isis Parlor was a nightclub where he as the owner would not be bored. Obviously, there had to be drugs and rooms to retire if he did not want to alienate his customers, but he did not encourage such activities. There were other establishments that catered to these needs much better; he had a share in their revenues, but he did not enjoy watching run-of-the-mill sex shows or garden-variety cock fights as it did not engage his mind.

_Bangkok, oriental setting, and the city don't know that the city is getting  
the crème de la crème of the chess world  
in a show with everything but Yul Brynner  
time flies, doesn't seem a minute  
since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it  
all change, don't you know  
when you play at this level, there's no ordinary venues  
it's Iceland or the Philippines or Hasting or this place_

Waiting impatiently for his ex teammates to arrive, he stared at the monitor. Was punctuality too much to ask of elite soldiers?

Finally, he saw Shimmerer weaving her way through the dance floor. She was wearing a sleeveless white dress dress, but other than being high-cut and opaque, it left little to the imagination. Without being excited by any of it, he registered the details of her body-hugging outfit and the grace of her seductive movements that were reminiscent of a giant cat. Despite his gecko like looks, the reptilian instincts had been engineered out of his brain. He ate and drank what he needed and dozed the little time that was necessary so that the neurons in his brain could process and filter information in an optimal way, but pleasure was something he gained from his intellect and not from lower body functions.

He glanced at the monitor in front of him again. Killbane in his habitual light weight attire was walking close behind Shimmerer, and between observing the dancers and checking the surroundings for an ambush, he was sparing her furtive but appreciative glances. Brainchild hoped the two had already concluded whatever business it was that kept them dancing around each other like moths drawn to a flame.

Gravestone in his usual gladiatorial garb was trudging not far behind Killbane. Apparently, the two BDCs had found an agreement. Gravestone would be useful for their enterprise: he provided a neat solution to the problem of those who opposed their Supertrooper alliance. Single-minded, brutal and unyielding, he was the perfect enforcer and executioner.

_One night in Bangkok, and the world's your oyster  
the bars are temples, but the pearls ain't free  
you'll find a god in every golden cloister  
and if you're lucky, then the god's a she  
I can feel an angel sliding up to me_

He had big plans indeed. The Supertrooper reunion was just the first step.

Killbane would provide the muscle they needed. He could set up an underground base in the Mapera Desert of Tortuna and organize weapons and ships for them. He would also be useful later, when they had freed the other Supertroopers, to whip them into shape and discipline the dissenters

Then the Supertroopers would seize control of Tortuna. It would serve as their base of operation while they prepared to take over the galaxy. It was possible the Queen of the Crown would resent their taking control of Tortuna's resources and outlaw population; in that case, she would have to be replaced by a more lenient and generous monarch. He did not bother with those details now.

In parallel to assuming control of Tortuna, they would expand their influence across the galaxy. He had business contacts in almost every sector of space, but he could not advise every conflict-ridden tycoon or chieftain personally. He needed associates to complete the easier jobs. As soon as Jackhammer had brought Darkstar and Stingray to Tortuna, he could send him to build a stronghold on Tarkon or Regneria for their alliance.

Now Stingray and Darkstar were a different matter. They would be difficult to bring into line; while Stingray was a loner who would challenge everyone on a team if he felt like it, Darkstar could be equally disruptive to a team's balance of power and fear with her annoying caring ways. It would probably be best to send the two of them out alone to retrieve the other ten escaped Supertroopers about whose whereabouts he had had found hints. If those renegades wanted to join their alliance, all the better; if not, they would serve as a welcome distraction for the Galaxy Rangers.

_One town's very like another  
when your head's down over your pieces, brother  
__**(it's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity)**__  
__**(to be looking at the board, not looking at the city)**__  
what d'ya mean, ya seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town  
__**(tea girls, warm and sweet sweet)**__  
__**(some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite)**__  
get Thai'd, you're talking to a tourist whose every move's among the purest  
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine_

While Tortuna was not the most idyllic location in the galaxy, it did have its advantages like no law enforcement and the fact that those who ended up here rarely had outside loyalties left. If you were in the business of selling strategies, the venue hardly mattered. People's aspirations were the same everywhere: they wanted to win, and they paid him to assure that they did.

He had seen the miracles of Waterworld and glided over the canyons of Lartoum, but in the end, it was unimportant where he hunched over his portable computer and distilled the pieces of information that he had collected into a master plan – as long as the place had air-conditioning and could provide him with tobacco.

The herb was the one luxury he indulged in because it helped him to sit still. His reflexes and battle skills were superb to any normal human, but in the environment of super enhanced combatants where he had grown up, honing his muscles would have been pointless. He had perfected his mental skills instead.

By the time he had been twelve, Negata had to struggle to come up with a challenge for him: he knew everything about historic battles, why the winner had won and how the loser could have triumphed; mathematics was a tool for him but too dry to be stimulating; codes and languages provided only a short diversion; geopolitical tendencies were mildly interesting. He bid his time and waited until he could be a player in the grand scheme of things himself. His time had come. If they captured Negata alive, perhaps the professor could serve him as an assistant.

_One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble  
not much between despair and ecstasy  
one night in Bangkok, and the tough guys tumble  
can't be too careful with your company  
I can feel the devil walking next to me_

The memories were bittersweet, and he allowed himself to indulge in them for a moment.

When Wolf Den set them free, he hid in a mental institution until the worst of the hunt was over. The schizophrenic inmates would not question his appearance while the nurses did not believe in his existence. It was not a glorious hideout, but it served its purpose. After that, he worked for a space circus. Then he donned a mask and a cloak, opened a mobile bank, and toured the outer colonies, changing cash and selling investments. It wasn't a brilliant career, but it kept him afloat. He did not think often of those times though he clearly remembered (and would pay back in time) those who had disparaged him.

The arrival of aliens in Earth's solar system changed everything, and it spelled good fortune for him even if the Andoreans and Kiwis were peaceful. Hostile aliens could have brought the Supertroopers back into the Federation's good graces, but a galaxy full of exotic life forms who needed Earth's help to settle their disputes opened a cosmos of opportunities to him. There were over 60,000 known species, subspecies, and tribes, and no one asked where he came from or what diploma he had if he could solve their problems.

There was much Earth could learn from alien technology, but there were other fields as well where no extraterrestrial culture could match humanity's scientific achievements. Brontes alone came close to Terra's level of skill in genetic engineering, but on the cyclopes' home world, gene-engineering was seen as a pastime for the rich and lacked the industry to back it. Only some Brontesian rebels who had left their corner of the galaxy had experimented with large scale cloning although their success had been limited. He made a mental note to contact those renegade scientists as well as track down the elusive Supertrooper juice that Captain Kidd had sold to the Queen but all in good time.

_Siam's gonna be the witness to the ultimate test of cerebral fitness  
this grips me more than would a muddy old river or reclining Buddha  
thank god, I'm only watching the game, controlling it  
I don't see you guys rating  
the kind of mate I'm contemplating. I'd let you watch, I would invite you  
but the queens we use would not excite you  
so you better go back to your bars, your temples, your massage parlors_

He had looked over the information Shimmerer had given him. She was good at collecting raw data that were hard to obtain, but he needed to refine them. Still, he valued the convenience of her services; she had provided him with the complete schedule of planned military operations by the Space Navy for the next year. Yet she had overlooked one detail: if they waited until the Space Navy was occupied during their practice maneuvers around Andor, that would also mean that Walsh was gone. However, Walsh was the player whom they needed: he was arrogant enough to try and negotiate with them, and without defeating him, any victory would be incomplete. It would be much better to strike when the big battle cruisers had already left for Andor but Walsh was still on Earth.

He would show Walsh what he had learned.

Unlike Negata, Walsh had never acknowledged his superior intellect and instead forced him to write pathetic essays about human values or put him through physical training that he would never need. It was a waste of time like so many things at Wolf Den. But then, what could he expect from humans?

The new Galaxy Rangers Series 5 program was a joke, but maybe it would provide some entertainment. It was Earth's fault that it had given up on the Supertrooper project, and it would have to live with the consequences. To substitute brain implants that depended on the vagaries of natural talent for the flawless soldier that genetic engineering could produce was an unforgivable error of judgment.

_One night in Bangkok, and the world's your oyster  
the bars are temples, but the pearls ain't free  
you'll find a god in every golden cloister  
__a little flesh, a little history__  
I can feel an angel sliding up to me_

Shimmerer, Killbane and Gravestone arrived in the conference room and started devouring the refreshments he had laid out. Killbane joked that Shimmerer looked like a dove; she slapped him but ignored him otherwise in favor of the chocolate-coated raspberries; Gravestone was content munching chili chips. Jackhammer came a little later, more somber and guarded than the others, but he would find his place soon enough.

When all the Supertroopers were assembled, he outlined his superb plan.

Following a fad that was running amok among politicians who wanted to appear close to their voters, Wheiner had assumed the habit of spending his vacation in mass tourism resorts. Away from high security, it would be easy to replace the senator with an android that was programmed to bake in the sun, drink tequilas, and give some speeches about the dangers of strong alien influence on Earth's culture – not even his wife and daughter would notice the difference.

Furthermore, the Black Sea resort that Wheiner had chosen was notorious for its shortage of qualified personnel, and its management was eager to hire anyone who could speak at least one foreign language. A little rudeness was no deterrent to employment, or in other words: Killbane and Shimmerer would fit right in and have no trouble escorting the senator to his new, even less hospitable but much better guarded domicile.

Once Wheiner had procured Batch-22 from Longshot, the Supertroopers could set about freeing their frozen comrades from the cryocrypt. Wolf Den was the ideal location for the exchange; no one would suspect they were there.

„What happens if they don't want to hand over the other Supertroopers?" Gravestone asked sullenly.

„They won't risk our releasing Batch-22," Shimmerer replied evenly.

„What makes you so sure?" Jackhammer cut in.

„Then we'll take what is ours by force!" Killbane shouted.

He watched their squabble for a while. Some people were a little slow on the uptake, but they would get the concept soon enough.

„Batch-22 could kill billions. They won't risk that to keep some troopers frozen," Shimmerer reiterated.

„Is there a vaccine?" Jackhammer interrupted her. „If they have time for immunization, we lose our bargaining chip."

„That's why we'll strike fast," Gravestone uttered in a low, threatening tone.

"Virus-22 was detected by Kiwi scientists when they analyzed samples that a Galaxy Ranger explorer team brought back from Beasty-Fenokee," Shimmerer explained. " It is possible that there is a vaccine against the natural variant of the virus but certainly not against the strain that the biologists at Longshot have bred."

"That means we are vulnerable to the virus ourselves," Jackhammer persisted.

„Our healing factor will protect us. Besides, we won't fail," Killbane growled.

„And with the other Supertroopers as our allies and Batch-22 to back our demands, we will be able to exact anything we want from Earth and its colonies," Shimmerer enthused.

The arguments kept repeating themselves, but he sat it all out. When dawn was approaching, all his comrades had finally agreed to his brilliant plan.

_One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble  
not much between despair and ecstasy  
one night in Bangkok, and the tough guys tumble  
can't be too careful with your company  
I can feel the devil walking next to me_

One by one, the Supertroopers walked out into the cold and dry smog of Tortuna City.

The universe didn't know what it was getting, but it would learn soon enough!


	3. Gravestone

Gravestone's point of view on the events of "Supertroopers". Set during the episode "Supertroopers".

Based on the song "Child in Time" by Deep Purple

Thanks to Robyn for beta-reading.

_Disclaimer: 'The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers' is copyrighted by Hearst Entertainment, Inc._

_This is a work of fanfiction, and I make no profit of it._

* * *

Wolf Den Base was coming into view. It was strange to go back there, but he was prepared. He had learned how to fight at Wolf Den, and he was capable of surviving the outside world; now he was going to pay back those who had belittled him.

_Sweet child in time_

When they said 'run,' he ran, and when they said 'jump,' he jumped. When they said 'diverge and attack the perimeter using Warta's tactic without the geometry,' he stood rock still until they explained it to him in simpler terms. He did not understand everything at Wolf Den, but he did not have to. Those who understood more did not fare any better.

Killbane and Gooseman may have been smarter and given command more often, but they also had to take extra lessons in the evening and were put through endless physical training to hone their transformations. While these two still were practicing to change from molten lava to iridium to insect to reptile and back, he already went to play darts with his comrades. Intelligence did not earn you any comfort, and he preferred to have some fun.

He never saw a need to master a huge number of transformations. He was organic granite, and there was hardly anything that granite could not take. It absorbed laser beams, withstood explosions, made him invulnerable against even hard impacts, impenetrable to stabs, and lethal when he charged. In addition, he could maintain his transformation long after Killbane or Gooseman would have needed to reform.

After a lot of urging from Shimmerer and Darkstar, he finally managed to create gills, but he failed to see why that should have been so important. After all, granite did not need to breathe, and if he ever needed to float, he could include more air bubbles.

_you'll see the line_

Despite all her skills to play tricks on the human mind, Shimmerer had to depend on her enhanced reflexes on a battlefield or on a BDC to shield her because her powers took too much time to work. Darkstar may have known all about the human body and how to treat injuries, but that would not save her if someone snapped her neck.

Rainbow with her heat manipulation ability was always a good power source to aid in his transformations if they were on the same team and not much of a problem when they were on opposite teams. The same was true for Stingray, and while Jackhammer could throw Gravestone around with his sonic blasts, he could not do much damage to him.

There was really only one lesson he had needed for life, and he had learned it early: If you want to survive, you fight.

_The line that's drawn between the good and the bad_

He did not understand why the BWL had turned on them and chased them, but he understood that you did not let your enemies win.

Shimmerer had explained to him that the BWL had wanted to use them but tried to get rid of them when they grew too powerful to be controlled, and it made sense to him.

He had learned both to follow and to give orders, but he would not follow an order to walk into the cryocrypt.

Humans were too weak to fight, and therefore, he would never again take orders from them.

Wheiner was just a pathetic excuse for a leader. Even a fly had more courage than he did. He was glad when Shimmerer put the senator to sleep and ended his whining tirades.

They were five warriors, ready to take back what was rightfully theirs

Stingray and Darkstar had refused to help them. That could only mean one thing: if they did not fight, they weren't Supertroopers anymore!

_See the blind man shooting at the world_

When he stood opposite Negata and Walsh, he was surprised how much smaller they were than in his memory. But this time; they faced each other on the battle field; they were on equal footing, and Walsh and Negata could not just watch from above. Walsh was a soldier, but age had weakened him. Negata was just a civilian and looked even more harmless in his brain unit than he had in person. But Negata could think where Gravestone could not follow, and that made him both dangerous and valuable. He would serve them.

Gooseman, hard-faced, stood next to Walsh and Negata. He looked older and wore a Galaxy Ranger's uniform, but he was still walking on a leash. He assumed Killbane would want the fight. If not, Gravestone would be more than happy to break the runt's bones.

_Bullets flying, taking toll_

"I always warned you. Some people never learn," Walsh said, and before Gravestone could figure out what the loser of a confrontation could warn them about, the battle droids came to life. Dormant automatic artillery reappeared; flying droid bats opened fire. One ground droid came for him. He turned into granite. The droid's hammer shattered, and Gravestone's fists took apart the rest of it. This was child's play; he had never played anything else.

The battle droids assailed them just like in the old times, but he realized the Supertroopers to stand against them were fewer.

Shimmerer was running from the bats but slipped and fell down. Before he could get to her, she had already shot the flying devices.

Now the bats were converging on Killbane, but Gravestone was distracted by a group of droids that approached him. He became stone again and pulled on the leg of the first droid. It toppled and shut down among sparks. The remaining three droids hit him, but they could not penetrate granite. He struck them down one after the other.

_If you've been bad, Lord, I bet you have_

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Gooseman tackle Jackhammer, and Brainchild moved to pick up Batch-22. Several bats fired on Gravestone, and when he had the chance to look again, Negata's brain unit ran over Brainchild.

Gravestone roared. Negata was the scientist who had been there from the beginning: the one who assembled his genes; the one who invented stupid obstacle courses for them; the one who made incomprehensible remarks about the Supertroopers' bio-systems and never had a word of recognition for Gravestone. Negata always said he was too slow, but not this time. Gravestone smashed the droids who tried to obstruct his path even as the bats' laser system annihilated Batch-22. He charged Negata.

The machinery encasing Negata's brain offered no defense against his wrath. His feet struck again and again.

He saw a shadow flying toward him. He toppled over the hard ground, his skin taking a few abrasions. Gooseman landed three meters away from him. A laser cannon targeted Gravestone, but he shook it off, reforming into granite. Negata would pay.

_And you've not been hit by flying lead_

Another robot approached him, one of the spider designs, and another, and another. He stood his ground.

The battle droids could not harm him, but they were too fast for him to take them out. The dust obstructed his sight.

_You'd better close your eyes and bow your head_

He realized Brainchild had shouted something, but he could not see him. Then he heard Shimmerer's shrill voice.

About the third time the cry sounded, he understood its meaning: 'Retreat!'

His feet moved to their escape ship.

_And wait for the ricochet_

They leapt into hyperspace just as the Space Navy interceptors appeared. As his heartbeat slowed down and the battle fever subsided and he realized they all were alive, he swore one thing:

They may have had to retreat from this battle, but the war was not over!


End file.
